Dover: population and statistics
Dover has a population of 121,055 (2025) across 315.3 km², or 384 people per km². It ranks 247 of 361 local authorities by population. Its population is growing: +7.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 121,055 residents
- 315.3 km²
- 384 people/km²
- 120 m
Dover in numbers
Population of Dover over time
Dover had 112,464 residents in 2015 and 121,055 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 116,134 |
| 2021 | 116,549 |
| 2022 | 117,514 |
| 2023 | 118,950 |
| 2024 | 119,805 |
| 2025 | 121,055 |
All indicators for Dover
Value for the area, then the regional average and the UK median (for counts: regional and UK totals). The gauge places the area between the lowest and highest value in the UK.
Population
| Indicator | Dover | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residents aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.2% | 20.2% | 20.4% | ranked 72 of 361 | |
| Share of residents aged under 16 (2025) | 17.0% | 18.1% | 17.4% | ranked 209 of 361 |
Housing
| Indicator | Dover | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings (Council Tax stock) (2026) | 56,470 dwellings | 4,201,530 | 27,429,300 | ranked 213 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built before 1940 (2026) | 42.3% | 28.0% | 31.6% | ranked 66 of 318 | |
| Dwellings built since 2000 (2026) | 15.5% | 19.8% | 18.1% | ranked 214 of 318 | |
| Households (Census 2021) (2021) | 50,552 households | 72,553 | 61,440 | ranked 214 of 318 | |
| Households living in a house or bungalow (2021) | 82.4% | 77.8% | 84.7% | ranked 180 of 318 | |
| Households living in a flat or maisonette (2021) | 17.0% | 21.5% | 14.8% | ranked 139 of 318 | |
| Owner-occupied households (incl. shared ownership) (2021) | 67.0% | 67.0% | 67.3% | ranked 163 of 318 | |
| Households renting privately (2021) | 19.0% | 19.2% | 17.6% | ranked 119 of 318 | |
| Households in social housing (2021) | 13.9% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 178 of 318 | |
| Average house price (2026) | £277,750 | £392,981 | £272,474 | ranked 174 of 360 | |
| House price change over 12 months (2026) | 2.7% | 0.5% | 2.2% | ranked 153 of 360 |
Energy
| Indicator | Dover | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without central heating (2021) | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.2% | ranked 133 of 318 | |
| Households heated by mains gas only (2021) | 76.8% | 74.6% | 76.7% | ranked 152 of 318 | |
| Households heated by electricity only (2021) | 6.3% | 9.2% | 7.8% | ranked 215 of 318 | |
| Households heated by oil only (2021) | 2.9% | 3.2% | 0.9% | ranked 118 of 318 |
Economy
| Indicator | Dover | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sites (local units) (2026) | 4,400 sites | 472,260 | 3,232,440 | ranked 291 of 361 | |
| Business sites per 1,000 residents (2026) | 36.3 per 1,000 | 48.7 per 1,000 | 44.4 per 1,000 | ranked 279 of 361 | |
| Registered businesses (enterprises) (2026) | 3,710 businesses | 412,075 | 2,786,975 | ranked 290 of 361 | |
| Median annual pay, full-time residents (gross) (2025) | £40,142 | £41,780 | £38,490 | ranked 133 of 348 |
Jobs
| Indicator | Dover | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate, aged 16-64 (2025-2026) | 76.2% | 79.1% | 76.3% | ranked 175 of 347 | |
| Out-of-work benefit claimants, share of residents aged 16-64 (2026) | 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.2% | ranked 156 of 361 |
Transport
| Indicator | Dover | South East | UK | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households without a car or van (2021) | 20.1% | 16.8% | 18.5% | ranked 133 of 318 |
Key points
Among the 64 local authorities in South East, Dover ranks 44 by population.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: 25.2% in Dover, compared with an average of 20.2% in South East and 19.4% across the UK.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 15.5% of the area's business sites.
Did you know?
- Its area is roughly equal to 44,165 football pitches.
- The nearest local authority is Folkestone and Hythe, 11.1 km away.
- The nearest larger neighbour is Maidstone (191,415 residents), 57 km away.
Business sectors: Dover
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than across the UK.
- Wholesale and retail trade15.5% ×1.0
- Construction15.3% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical13.0% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services9.1% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services7.4% ×0.9
- Health and social work6.5% ×1.2
- Transport and storage4.9% ×1.2
- Manufacturing4.3% ×1.0
Where is Dover?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Dover?
Dover has 121,055 residents (2025), ranking 247 of 361 local authorities.
How big is Dover?
Dover covers 315.3 km², with a density of 384 people per km².
Is the population of Dover growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Dover went from 112,464 to 121,055, a change of +7.6%.
Where is Dover?
Dover is in South East (region). Latitude 51.130, longitude 1.311.
Business sites (local units): what is the figure for Dover?
In Dover, “Business sites (local units)” stands at 4,400 sites (2026), ranking 291 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 6,830 sites.
Share of residents aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Dover?
In Dover, “Share of residents aged 65 and over” stands at 25.2% (2025), ranking 72 of 361 local authorities; the UK median is 20.4%.
Which local authorities border Dover?
The nearest to Dover are Folkestone and Hythe (11 km), Canterbury (23 km), Thanet (28 km), Ashford (31 km), Swale (47 km).